1. Field of the Invention
Whenever emergency personnel are traveling in emergency vehicles such as fire trucks or the like it is often necessary to provide self-contained breathing apparatus including an relatively heavy air tank secured to their body for the purpose of providing an air supply under emergency conditions such as at a fire location. A specific construction needs to be provided for the back of the seat in such vehicles such that the personnel can be firmly held in place by a seat belt and shoulder harness in a conventional manner in a seat while providing room for the tank to be held within the seat back. Secure locking of a heavy air tank in place in the mounting bracket of the seat back is an important consideration. The present invention provides a unique means for facilitating locking and unlocking of an air tank with respect to a mounting bracket when positioned on the back of a user or ready to be positioned on the back of a user within a tank receiving zone defined in the overall seat configuration of an emergency vehicle. A safety locking mechanism is included which will assure that the tank is locked to the mounting bracket securely unless the vehicle parking brake is engaged or unless the vehicle transmission is in the Park position or responsive to other desired parameters. With this added level of safety, it can be assured that the vehicle will be stationary at all times when the air tank is disengaged from the mounting bracket. Such heavy tanks can become dangerous moving objects within a vehicle unless they are firmly secured whenever the vehicle is moving for any reason and especially if the vehicle is involved in a motor vehicle accident.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of prior art locking devices have been utilized to secure air tanks to seat backs for various purposes such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,431,698 patented Dec. 2, 1947 to H. Lombard on a “Removable Mounting Installation”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,238 patented Oct. 28, 1952 to W. Highwood on a “Tank Clamp Support Holder”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,529 patented Jul. 13, 1865 to G. R. Brock and assigned to Sterling Precision Corporation; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,391 patented Dec. 15, 1970 to D. E. Johnson on a “Quick Release Support For Rescue Breathing Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,384 patented Feb. 23, 1971 to L. A. Lockwood and assigned to Bemzomatic Corporation on a “Bracket For Holding And Clamping Gas Cylinder Type Fire Extinguisher Tanks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,550 patented Sep. 7, 1971 to C. D. Byrd and assigned to Lacy J. Miller Machine Company, Inc. on a “Quick Release Support”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,714 patented Jun. 6, 1972 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Tank Support”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,972 patented Dec. 25, 1973 to J. C. Brodersen on a “Mounting Apparatus For Gas Containers”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,907 patented Jul. 16, 1974 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Positive Locking Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,591 patented Jul. 27, 1976 to J. Ziaylek and assigned to Ziamatic Corporation on a “Quick-Seat”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,592 patented Jul. 22, 1980 to D. J. Lingenfelser and assigned to Caterpillar Tractor Co. on a “Bracket Assembly For Mounting Fire Extinguishers Thereon”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,541 patented Apr. 12, 1983 to D. M. Harkness on a “Holder For A Container”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,448 patented Mar. 19, 1985 to C. P. Massie on a “Bracket For Fire Extinguishers”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,687 patented May 6, 1986 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on an “Air Tank Support Of The Quick Release Type”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,714 patented Jul. 18, 1989 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al on a “Mounting Plate With Rollers”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,392 patented May 25, 1993 to J. M. Bostrom et al on a “Seat Construction”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,233 patented May 24, 1994 to J. M. Bostrom et al on a “Seat Construction Having A Mechanism For Storing A Tank”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,080 patented Oct. 28, 1997 to G. M. Pond et al and assigned to Seats, Inc. on a “Vehicle Seat For Person Wearing Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,544 patented to W. R. Block et al on Sep. 8, 1998 and assigned to H. O. Bostrom Company, Inc. on a “Seat Construction With Removable Side Cushions”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,749 patented Aug. 10, 1999 to G. M. Pond et al and assigned to Seats, Inc. on a “Vehicle Seat With Removable Bolsters And pivoting Headrest Members”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,475 patented Nov. 2, 1999 to G. S. Chaplin on a “Fire Extinguisher Holder”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,312 patented Jul. 11, 2000 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Tank Handling Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,557 patented Apr. 24, 2001 to M. P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek, Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Theodore P. Ziaylek on a “Mounting Bracket Means For Detachably Supporting A Generally Cylindrically-Shaped Member Upon A Wall Structure”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,736 patented Apr. 8, 2003 to B. J. Field and assigned to Pacific Safety Products Inc. on a “Quick Release Supporting Apparatus For A Canister”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,923 patented Aug. 5, 2003 to G. Pond et al and assigned to Seats Incorporated on an “Emergency Vehicle Seat With Integrated Seat Belt”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,745 patented Dec. 2, 2003 to J. A. Fohrenkamm et al and assigned to H. O. Bostrom Company, Inc. on an “Emergency Vehicle Seat With Integrated Seat Belt”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,242 patented Mar. 9, 2004 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al on a “Releasable Tank Holding Assembly Securable To A Hollow Seat Back To Facilitate Detachable Securement Of A Tank Thereinto”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,659 patented Aug. 3, 2004 to G. A. Martello on a “Bottle Bracket”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,226 patented Dec. 14, 2004 to B. J. Field and assigned to Pacific Safety Products Inc. on a “Quick Release Supporting Apparatus For A Canister”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,766 patented Apr. 26, 2005 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Quick Release Mechanical Bracket”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,243 patented Aug. 9, 2005 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Mounting Bracket With An Ejection Means For Detachable Retaining Of A Cylindrical Tank Member”; and United States Publication No. US 2003/0038525 A1 published Feb. 27, 2003 to G. Pond et al and assigned to Seats, Inc. on an “Emergency Vehicle Seat With Integrated Seat Belt”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D222,527 patented Nov. 2, 1971 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Bracket For Use With Lifesaving Equipment”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D237,357 patented to T. Ziaylek, Jr. and assigned to Ziamatic Corporation on Oct. 28, 1975 on a “Tank Support Bracket For Lifesaving Equipment”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D245,929 patented Sep. 27, 1977 to R. J U. Montambo and assigned to The Ansul Company on a “Fire Extinguisher Bracket”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D264,935 patented Jun. 15, 1982 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. and assigned to Ziamatic Corporation on a “Combined Support And Display Bracket For A Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D265,287 patented Jul. 6, 1982 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Support Bracket For Biomarine Breathing Apparatus”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D267,227 patented Dec. 14, 1982 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. and assigned to Ziamatic Corporation on a “Support Bracket For A Gas Cylinder”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D298,704 patented Nov. 29, 1988 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Seat For Use Primarily In Emergency Vehicles”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D303,738 patented Oct. 3, 1989 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Rotatable Cylinder Holder”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D314,325 patented Feb. 5, 1991 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al on a “Clamping Set Of Bracket Arms For Supporting Tubular Objects”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D319,778 patented Sep. 10, 1991 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. on a “Vertical Support Brace Bracket Panel For Holding Tubular Objects”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D347,735 patented Jun. 14, 1994 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al on a “Quick Release Support Tank Bracket”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D390,367 patented Feb. 10, 1998 to R. F. Demski et al and assigned to Seats, Inc. and Pierce Manufacturing Inc. on a “Vehicle Seat”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D394,381 patented May 19, 1998 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al on a “Tank Bracket”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D419,317 patented Jan. 25, 2000 to G. M. Pond et al and assigned to Seats, Inc. on a “Seat”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D424,414 patented May 9, 2000 to M. P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek, Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Theodore P. Ziaylek on an “Adjustable Mounting Bracket For A Cylindrical Member”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D434,495 patented Nov. 228, 2000 to L. J. Whalen et al and assigned to Wheeled Coach Industries, Inc. on an “Oxygen Bottle Holder”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D480,294 patented Oct. 7, 2003 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al on a “Releasable Tank Holding Assembly”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D494,049 patented Aug. 10, 2004 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Mounting Bracket With Ejection Mechanism For Holding A Cylindrical Tank”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D494,453 patented Aug. 17, 2004 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Mechanical Locking Bracket For Holding Cylinders”.